Rotary apparatus for agitating fluids



1964 H. D. KRAFT ETAL 3, 63, 04

ROTARY APPARATUS FOR AGITATING FLUIDS Filed 001:. 9, 1962 W u 30 I INVENTORS Harold D. Kraft ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,163,464 ROTARY APPARATUS F88 AGITATING FLUIDS Harold D. Kraft, Fiushing, and Jack A. Kraft, New Hyde Park, N.Y., assignors to Scientific industries, Inc, Queens Village, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dot. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 229,371 8 Claims. (Cl. 259-57) The present invention relates to apparatus for mixing and agitating fluids, and more particularly to the mixing and agitation of fluids in a precise manner such as in the scientific and medical fields wherein the fluids may involve the health of persons.

In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus is provided for the gentle agitation of blood in heparinized syringes to avoid sedimentation or foaming thereof and wherein the motion of the liquid in the hypodermic syringe follows a path of travel or motion that has the configuration of a figure eight.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rotatable apparatus for carrying a container or vessel thereon in which is disposed a fluid for mixing and agitation so that the vessel follows a path of travel in which the fluid in the container has motion imparted thereto that follows in a figure eight path of travel. I

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for mixing a fluid in a plurality of tubes, or other containers, simultaneously so that the fluid and the containers will move through a figure eight motiori causing a sloshing effect and mixing of the contents of the tube while avoiding sedimentation or foaming of the fluid.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotatable head for a mixing apparatus that will hold test tubes, bottles, flasks and metal-tipped and other syringes which rotatable head can be tilted atan angle with respect to the horizontal and can be tilted from a horizontal position to a vertical position and to positions in between.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotatable head for a mixing apparatus provided with a plurality of clip means that can hold test tubes, bottles, flasks and the like, and which clip means can be disposed at an angle with the plane of the rotatable head so that rotation of the head will cause the contents of the tube, or the like, to have imparted thereto a figure eight motion in order to properly mix and agitate the contents of the tube.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a mixing apparatus having a detachable rotor head means disposed thereon which can be tilted at an angle or obliquely with respect to the driving axis or rotating axle or shaft of the apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotating apparatus having a drive means and a detachable rotator head carried by the drive means that can be disposed at an angle with the axis of the drive means and which is further provided with clip means circumferentially disposed about the periphery of the rotor head and having adjustable means so that the clip means maybe disposed at an angle with the periphery of the head so that test tubes and the like may be detachably connected to the clip means in order to provide a path of travel of the contents of the tubes in a figure eight motion.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotating apparatus having an adjustable rotatable head means with clip means disposed around the outer rim thereof that are adjustably positionable at all positions between the position where the plane of clips coincides with the plane of the head to the position Where the plane of the clips is at right angles to the plane of the'head whereby the axis of containers held in such clips may be likewise positioned.

It is another object of the present invention to provide 3,163,4d4 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 a rotating apparatus With'a plurality of clip means disposed on a rotatable head for holding test tubes, flasks and the like, in which clip means are readily adjustable with respect to the plane passing through the rotor head so that the contents of the liquids within the tubes may be properly mixed and agitated in accordance with the desired results required.

The present invention provides an apparatus that is easily adaptable for micro-diffusion determinations, semimicro extractions, washing precipitates, rapid dissolving of calcium in bone, blood reconstitution, dissolving of separations from chromatography paper, gas saturation of blood and so on, or combinations thereof.

Various other objects and advantages of the present in vention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection'with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus ernbodied in the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the rotor head of the apparatus inclined at an angle with the drive shaft of the apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a section takenalong lines 4-4 of FIG- URE 2; p

' FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of a test tube carried in one of the clip means embodied in the present invention illustrating the figure eight motion followed by the liquid.

contents in the tube; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detail view of the adjustable clip means embodied in the present invention. Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a rotating apparatus having a base or stand 11 with horizontally extending legs 12 on the front side ISthereof to provide stability. The base or frame 11 has a substantially horizontal lower portion 14 with a vertical box section 15 extending upwardly frornone end thereof. The enclosed box section 15 is provided with an upstanding or vertical member 16 adjacent the inner side or end. thereof forming a trunnion-support or bracket through which is threaded an adjustable horizontal screw member or trunnion member 17 having a head 18'. The screw member 17 extends through and into the sidewall 19 of a motor box or housing 20. The motorbox 20 is a truncated prism though it is readily understoodit can have other configurations if desired. A motor is housed in the motor box 20 and is provided with a shaft 21 that extends out of the removable front plate 23 of the box.

The motor and the motor box 20 are supported by the 'screw member 17. The screw member 17-that extends through the trunnion support or carriage 16 can tilt the motor and the motor shaft 21 in any direction through 360 degrees merely by loosening the screw member 17 and. rotating or turning the motor box 20-by hand to any desired angle and thereafter tighteningthe head of the screw member 17 against 16 by threading it into the motor box in order to rigidly fix the position or angle of p A rotatable'circular disc member or head28 is detach ably connected to the front end of the shaft 21 by a knurled screw member 29 having a threaded shaft 30 Y which threads into an internally threaded recess or bore 31 in the front end of. the shaft. The rotatable head 28 is provided with a central aperture or opening 33 therein. The opening 33 is substantially larger than the outside diameter of the shaft 21 so that a substantial gap or space 34 is disposed between the internal diameter of the rotor head 28 and the outer diameter of the shaft 21 as is clearly illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 for purposes hereinafter described. The rotator head 28 is fixed to shaft 21 so as to be rotated or driven thereby by merely threading the screw member 29 against the rotor headso that the rotor head abuts the outer face or front wall as of the collar. When it is desired to remove the rotor head 28 from the shaft 21, it is merely necessary to unthread the screw member 29 from the recess 31.-and remove it and lift off the head 28 from the shaft, in order to replace the head with a different type of rotatable head or a different size rotatable head as is desired.

The inner or rear face 37 of the rotor head is provided with a set screw 38 therein for setting the rotorhead at an inclined angle with respect to the axis of and the shaft 21 as illustrated in FIGURE 3. When the rotor head 28 is desired to be set at a 90 degree angle with the shaft 21 as illustrated in FIGURE 2 so the axis of the head and the shaft coincide, the set screw 38 is positioned in the slot 27 so that the inner face or wall 37 of the rotor 28 abuts the corresponding face 36 of the collar 25.

When it is desired to dispose the rotor head 28 at an inclined angle with the shaft 21 so the axis of the head and the shaft do not coincide, the screw member 29 is loosened and the rotor head is turned around 180 degrees from a position shown' in FIGURE 3 so that the set screw 38 is positioned in the recess 26 adjacent the top of the collar 25. The bottom of the recess 26 provides a shoulder 39 against which the head 38 of the set screw is positioned. The angle with reference of the shaft can be determined by a suitable adjustment of the position of' the set screw 38. Thereafter,'the screw member 29 is threaded home in the recess 31 until it abuts the outer wall 40 of the head 28 and the inner wall 37 of the head abuts the corresponding outer Wall 36' of the collar. The slot 27 and the recess 26 prevent the head28 from rota ing with respect to the drive shaft 21 when the set screw is positioned in either of these openings.

The front face 40 of the head is provided with a plurality of'clip members 41 disposed around the outer portion thereof in spaced relationship with one another and detachably secured to the rotatable head by individual screws 42 disposed in the horizontal portion .of each clip member. The face 40 is also provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 35 therein for inserting hypodermic syringes and the like,v therein; The clip members 41- are substantially U-shaped and consist of two identical outwardly extending resilient legs 43 bowed as indicated at 44 adjacent the'inner end thereof and having an enlarged bow 45 adjacent the outer end thereon with outwardly extending tips or rims 46. The bowed portion 43' is-adapted to spread apart to receive a test tube, neck of. a bottle, flask or the like. such as holding the test tube 47 within a clip so that it can be rotated by the rotatable head 28 when the motor is in operation. The base 11 is provided with an on and off electrical switch 46 for operating'the motor. The box section" 15 also contains the leads to the motor and from the motor and means for connecting the apparatus toa wall socket or source .of power (not'shown).

The screws 42 permit the clips. to be readilydetached from the front wall or face 40 of the head to be replaced with different size clips'if desired for carrying different,

size test tubes or flasks of other shapes. The adjustable screws 42 also permit the clips to be disposed or turned toany desired position with respectto the head. 28.

The circumferential rim 50 ofthe head is provided with a plurality of identical test tube holding clip members41. The clip members 41 are alsoconnected to the head by the screws 42 so that the clip members may be readily attached to and disconnected from the head.

The adjustable clip members 41 on the circumferential rim 50 permit the clips to be inclined at an angle with the plane of the head 28. As shown in FIGURE 1 the peripheral clips 41 are all disposed at an inclined angle with the plane passing through the head 28, which plane is parallel to the sidewall or faces 40 and 37 of the head. The disposition of the tube clips 41 at an angle with respect to the head 28, as distinguished from the clips when they are turned so as to be in the same plane with the head'28 parallel thereto, permits the test tube carried by a clip 41 to be turned from, for example, an'uprig'ht position as indicated by the position 51 in FIGURE 1, toward a horizontalposition as indicated at 52, toward a downward or inverted position indicated at 53, to a reverse horizontal position as indicated at 54, and to be progressively returned to its original position at 51. Thus, in the sequence of rotation from the position at 51 through the positions around the entire periphery of the head, the test tube may be upside down and back to its original rightside up position in onerevolution in order to mix and agitate the contents carried within the tube. The provision of the plurality of clips disposed around the entire periphery of the head permits a large quantity of tubes and flasks or the like to be mixed simultaneously. The offsetting of the head 28 or tilting its axis at an angle that is inclined with respect to the axis of the shaft 21, causes the tubes while being turned from a rightside up position to an upside down position and back to its initial position, to be wobbled back and forth, or in other words, to be moved closer to and away from the face 7 plates 23 of the motor housing so that the fluid or liquid content carried in the tube 47 is agitated or has a motion in a figure eight configuration as illustrated by the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 5. Thus, the motion of the liquid or contents of the tube is such that-the liquid follows in a figure eight path oftravel which avoids any sedimentation or foaming of the liquid therein and introduces a gentle agitation. in medical application such asthe agitation of blood in heparinized syringes and the like.

Thus, with the present invention an apparatus is pro-- vided in which a number of test tubes, or other types of containers, can be rotated at the same time to'impart a figure eight path of travel of the contents therein by adjusting the clip members 41 at an inclined angle with the head 28 and adjusting the head 28 atm inclined angle with the shaft 21 as illustrated in FIGURE 3, so that the .exact and precise desired types of agitation and mixing can be obtained.

The head further permits the contents of the tube to be agitated in other ways, such as mere rotation of the con tents of the tube, by disposing a tube clip in the same plane with the head and by disposing the head at right angles with the shaft 21 as-shown in FIGURE 2. It isfurther realized that the adjustable tilt of the motor box' 29 allows wide application by the operator for setting it to the correct angle for a particular test.

The tilting or setting of the rotatable'head at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the straight motor shaft, instead of a ninety degree angle, enables the fluid containers carried by the head to have imparted thereto versatilityin the agitation and mixing of the fluid in the containers. The foregoing flexibility together with positioning of the clips along the periphery of the face of the agitator head and along-the rim thereoftogether with the providing of recesses in the face of the rotator head to receive appropriate receptacles provides for remarkable flexibility in'types of mixing and agitation.

Inasmuch as various changes may bemade' in the particular form, location and arrangment of the parts of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the principles of the invention, it will'be understood that the invention This is particularly important is not to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for agitating fluid comprising a base means, trunnion means on said base means, a motor housing carried by said trunnion means for tilting at different angles thereabout, a motor shaft extending out of said housing, collar means on the outer end of said shaft having a recess and a slot extending therethrough, circular head means having a central opening detachably mounted on said shaft adjacent said collar for rotation by said shaft, detachable tube clips disposed around and radially outwardly of the circumference of said head for holding tubes thereon which contain fluid to be agitated, clip adjusting means for said tube clips for positioning the clips in the same plane with and at an angle with respect to the plane of said head, and means on said head for extending into said recess at one time to tilt the axis of said head at an angle with respect to the axis of said shaft and for extending into said slot at another time so said head axis and shaft axis are coextensive.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means project from a side face of said circular head.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means is a set screw. 7

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said central opening has a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of said shaft to provide an annular space around said shaft when mounted thereon.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said recess and said slot are disposed in alignment with one another and are spaced 180 degrees apart.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a threaded screw member disposed in the end of said shaft detachably mounts said head thereon.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said clips are resilient U-shape members and are detachably disposed on said head by screw members extending therethrough.

8. Apparatus for agitating fluid comprising a base means, trunnion means on said base means, a motor housing carried by said trunnion means for tilting at dilierent angles thereabout, a motor shaft extending out of said housing, collar means on the outer end of shaft, circular head means having a central opening detachably mounted on said shaft adjacent said collar means for rotation by said shaft, detachable tube clips disposed around and radially outwardly of the circumference of said head for holding tubes thereon which contain fluid to be agitated, clip adjusting means for said tube clips for positioning the clips in the same plane with and at an angle with respect to the plane of said head, and means for tilting the axis of said head at an angle with respect to the axis of said shaft at one time and for positioning the axis of said head coextensive with the axis of said shaft at another time.

References Cited in the file of this patent vGreat Britain of 1948 

8. APPARATUS FOR AGITATING FLUID COMPRISING A BASE MEANS, TRUNNION MEANS ON SAID BASE MEANS, A MOTOR HOUSING CARRIED BY SAID TRUNNION MEANS FOR TILTING AT DIFFERENT ANGLES THEREABOUT, A MOTOR SHAFT EXTENDING OUT OF SAID HOUSING, COLLAR MEANS ON THE OUTER END OF SHAFT, CIRCULAR HEAD MEANS HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT ADJACENT SAID COLLAR MEANS FOR ROTATION BY SAID SHAFT, DETACHABLE TUBE CLIPS DISPOSED AROUND AND RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID HEAD FOR HOLDING TUBES THEREON WHICH CONTAIN FLUID TO BE AGITATED, 